Multiple-effect evaporating apparatus.



s.- M. LILLIB. MULTIPLE EFFECT EVAPORATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 1.51.31, 1907.

984,226. Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

H SHEETSSHEET 1.

s. M. LL'LLIB.

MULTIILE EFFECT EVAPORATING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 31, 1907. Y

" Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FIG-.5

WITNESSES:

M ATTUR/VEY a series of single effects connected for re UNITED srarnsrnrnnr OFFICE."

' SAMUEL Momris 'LILLIE, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

M LTIPLE-Ensues." nvnronn'nnc nrra wrus.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it'known that I, SAMUEL MORRISLlL- LIE, of the city and county ofPhiladelphla, State of Pennsylvania, have invented an 1m provement inMultiple-Effect Evaporating Apparatus, of' which the following is aspecification.

versal, and which is more fully disclosed in Letters Patent of theUnited States, No. 777,114, granted to me on December 13th, 1904,thesaid reversal being in not only for changing the direction ofIthe'heat through the series whereby each reversal makes what was beforethe hottest efiect the coolest effect, and vice versa, butalsopreferably re versing the direction of passage of the'liquor in theseveral effects as a series. Inthe preferred form of-my said apparatus,I have usually employed a series of parallel cylindricalefiects, thesteam chamber ofany' ef fect being adjacent to the evaporating chainbersof the nelxt eife'cts at the corresponding end and said steamchambersandevaporat' ing chambers of the respective ends of the severaleffects being connected inseries by valved passages, said valvedpassages cor-re sponding 'atopposite, ends of the effects in' theinverse order. Moreover, the valves controlling thesepassages aredesigned to be so.

' adjusted that a passage communicating be tween a-stea m chamber of oneeffect and the evaporating chamber of the next eiiect ati one end isclosed when the corresponding passage between the same effects at theother.

- end is open, and vice-versa, according to the direction in which theheat and vapors are required to pass.

- 'Mypresent invention more particularly refers toautomatic means inconjunction with" the aforesaid valves controlling the passages betweenthe several effects, whereby the. mere change inthepoint of supply ofthe steam, to what is to he the hottest. effect, will-automaticallycause the valves to ad just themselves to their seats in the properSpecification of Letters Ifatent, Patented Feb 14, 1911, Applicationfiled-January 31, 1907. Serial No. 354,988.

order at each end of the series of eiiects to insure the normalcirculation of the heat through the apparatus.

My improvements are more particularly for use in multiple-eifectapparatus of the reversal type, butminor features'of the im- 'provementmay beemployed for special ap plications of evaporating apparatusgenerally. v

"Bro adly in providing two or more communicating passages connecting aseries of- .efiepts' with valve seats, combined withrvalvescarried upona common shaft or other operating. means/ whereby said valves are causedto move in opposite directionswith respect to considered, myinvention'consists their seats, and steam actuated motor means locatedso as to cause the said-valves and their connecting rod to close thevalve or valves adjacent to the chamber in which the steam is suppliedand open the'valvei-controlling the passage between the next twoadjacent efiects.

tion of the communicating passages between the several efi'ects, withvalve devices .to control themfthe movable; valves of said valve devicesacting. as pistons and coiiperating with cylindrical portions.ad-jacentto the valve seats whereby the-passage of vapor through onepassage acting. upon one valve will move the other valve in its-cylinderso it maybe acted upon bythe vapo p to continue its movementto "its seatand simultaneously move the first mentioned valve out of.its cylinderandaway from its seat.

My invention also co nsists in": providing a series of eifects withmeans to admit steam to the first and next to last effects ofthe series,combined with valved passages operated in unison for controllingthevapor passages between the series ofefiects-tojwhich My inventionalso consists in-the-combina-.

the steam is supplied, and independent'valve mechanism forcontrollingthe passage of vapor between the .end f'eifect'and. theeffect next tojit towhich steam-may be supplied.

My invent'i'o'n further consists in areversal multiple-efl'ect apparatusof: the character herein set'outifin which 'means is providedfor-admitting steam to .thesteam lchamoers 105.

of all of the eflects', combined with valves for controlling the'heatand-vapor between the adiace'nt effects at each lend, connectingll'lGElIlS for the two valves between themeans I chamber'of the firsteffect and the steam.v

Chamber of the next adjacent effect, and a separate valve device forcontrolling the JD assag of vapor-from the steam chamber 1 of the'nex'tto the-last effect and" the vapor I chamberlof thefla'st effect. Thisfeature of- Y the invention will permit the effects to be operated assingle, double, triple or quad- I ruple effect apparatus.

--Myinvention alsocom-prehends details of ,construction 'which, togetherwith the features above specified, will be better understood byreference to the drawings, in which,

2 "for purposes of illustration, I have shown an evaporating apparatusof the Lillie hereinbefore referred to.

JI-n th e'drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of a multiple-effectapparatus embodying 555 my'inv'ention; Fig. 2,is an elevation of the Isame; Fig. 3 a longitudinal sectional eleva 1 tion of the same on line33 of Fig. 1; Ifig. 4i-is a sectional side elevation of one of thel-QvalYes and passages between theadjacent T; effects; and Fig. 5 is anend elevation of the 1 A, A, A andA are four-effects, and, as-

'. arranged, have the steam chambers S of ad- I jacent-eflfects atopposite ends.

i5 PL represents the evaporating and liquor.

chambers. The details of construction of the Bfl eCtSfOIf evaporatingand circulating @the liquid arenot described in thisapplicaQ tion,as'they may be similar to what is shown lyjn my Letters Patent No.777,114 aforesaid. "The several efiects A to A are connected as f shownat each end'by the passages 13 to B.

The v'arious passages B to B are controlled by valves, such 'as'shown atG to C respectively; for example, the valves in the passages 13,3 and Bbeing open and the valves int-he remaining passages closed, or vice,versa'. The liquor may be supplied to the several effectsgin series,beginning with either "efiect A 'or A*, by suitable pipes. The circu-'rlfllliOIl-Qf the liquor through the several effects and itsreversal-is fully set out in my aioresaid Letters P'atent,..and in lieuof specifi'c description here, reference is made- ."thereto;.

As shown in, Fi' 1, the steam is supplied by valve pipe E to thesteam-chamber S of fl"ect A. The vaporsfroin the evaporating .j chamberL ofeflect pass through passage B into thexste'am' chamber S of off"feet Afl The va ors from the evaporating chamber Lrof th effect ass bypassage 13 4 into the steam chamber of efl'ec't A The vapors from'efi'ect A'pa'ss by passage B 55 into the steam chamher ojieiiect'A and,which are .closedjwill be open.

' the vapors of the evaporating chamber L of this'last effect arecondensed by a suitable condenser F. When the system is to be reversed,the liquor is preferably circulated in the-reverse direction. The-flowof the liquor having been reversed through the sevei'al effccts, thevalves in the passages B to B are reversed also, and then the vaporspass as follows: Steam is shut off by valve E and admitted to the steamchamber S of effect A by steam valve E, where it iscondensed.

The vapors generated in the'evaporating chamber L ofthis eflect. passt-hrou h passage B into'the steam chamber to e set A and are. condensed.The vapors of the evap-- oratingjchamber L of effect A pass by passage Binto the steam chamber of efiect A" and-a're condensed. The vapors fromthis eflect'A pass by passage Bf into the steam chamberof efiect A andare condensed, and the 'vapors'of the evaporating chamber L of effectAare condensed by a suitable condenser F.

Ordinarily, in the' full operation of the 'mult-iple-efiectapparatus,steam would be admittedeither by the: valve E or E, ac-

-cording*to the direction ofoperation, (it

being admitted by the valve E inthe partic'ular' positions .of thevalves in the pas sages communicating between the several effe'cts) andthe last. evaporating chamber of the effect A is in cominunicatioawithcondenser at In the reversal of the appsfetus, the steam is'sup'p'liedby the valve E and the vapors from the'evaporating chaml'JQI'IOf theeffect A will. then be in communi cation with the condenser F, but inthis case the several valves between the various effects Will bereversed, that is to say, those which i are open inFig. 1', will beclosed and those 01. course either condenser F or F is respectively outout, dependent upon whether the steam .is admitted by valve E or E..

Inthe preferred form of,.my apparatus, I providethe steam chambers ofthe second and third effects also with valved steam inlets so that inthis manner steam may be supplied as desired. to any one of theefiects'of the series. ply 'tothe'effects A at E and to eiiect 2 at E InFig. 3 is shown the arrangement of the steam passages andvalved'passages' be:-

t-we'en the adjacent effects of the series in the valves and steampassages are the same at to describe the'details of one set, as indicated in Fig. 3, to fully l nderstandthe construction of both sets.

I have indicated the steam su 120, preferred form of my invention, andthese both ends-0f the effects,but' in the inverse; I

order. It will therefore only be necessary.

The detail character of the passagesbe- I tween the adjacentefli'ects isindicated in Figs. Land 5'. In the construction here lee " seat andmoves valve fully open. It also cuts the effect A out of action.

longitudina a distance suflicient to pass out of them for the purpose ofpermitting the free passage of steam into the steam chambeafter 'ivin'gan initial movement" a: to the rods D or D Referring to Fig. 5, it

will be seen that upon admitting steam to the port E the piston 12, androd 1) Will move to the left. Just as the valve C enters its passagewayB the piston n leaves the cylinder N. The steam then acts directly uponthe valve C and mov s it to its ing of the valve rods enables this ope'ation o-f'the valves to put out of action either of thetwo end effectsat- Will. lVhen either of such effects is to be kept out of operationfor some time either for repairs or otherwise, the valves C or C may besecured in closed position by means of the bolts U and nuts W shovvn inFigs. 4 and 5. Such. bolts and nuts may also be used in connection withthe valves C, C C and C? at any time except.

when the operation of the apparatus as a reversal multiple-effectapparatus.

. By the use of the means herein described I' may operate the effects-A,A, A and A. as a quadruple effect'in one direction or re 'ver'sible; Imay operate t-heeffects A, A and A ortheveffe cts A, A and A as tripleeffects in one direction or reversible; I may operate the effects A A asa pair and effects A A as another pair as double effects; and I mayoperate either of the effects A or A as-single effects or open them forcleaning or repairs While the triple effects are in operation. In thecas e of some Weak solutions which haveto be brought to a high density,it is customary to complete the evaporation in two stages. By the firststage about vninety per cent. of the total evaporation is done and inthe second stage, theremainder.

In the case of such solution, the apparatus is 'used'as a quadrupleeffect for the first stage and when a fair quantity of the product ofthis stage is accumulated, one of the end effects 1s.then operated byitself in bringing this product tothe final density While the iremaining three effects are continued inoperation as a triple effect onthe dilute solution, bringing it to the conditionof the prodact of thefirst'st'age; When the first stage product hasbeen Worked through thesingle effect, said effect may be put in service 'vvith the other threeeffects as a quadruple effect for'trea-tment of more oft-he first stage4 liquor.

I do not restrict myself to the minor details of cO-n'struction as it isevident that such parts maybe modified as Will be apparent" to thoseskilled in the art;

' Having now described my invention, What I claim as new and desire tosecure by Let-;

ters Patent, is

1. In a multiple effect evaporating app'a the steam chamber of one ofthe effects, and steam actuated devices operable by the pressure of thesteam entering through the steam inlet into the steam chamberforpositively and automatically operating the valvesof "ratus, valvedcontrolled apertures between the steam chalnbersand evaporating chambers of the several effects, a steam llllfittt) the valve passagesimmediatelybefore theadmission of steam to the multiple effectapparatus.

2. In a multiple effect apparatus, four effects and communicatingpassages between the steam chambers and vapor chambers of the severaleffects to connect theniin series.

con'ibinedwith means for supplying steani to the steam chambers of twoeffects adjacent to one end of the series, condensers in communicationwith the vapor chambers of the two endeff'ects' of the series, valvesfor connecting theeffects as a quadruple effect or as a triple 'elfectand one single effect according to their adjustment, and ZilltOlIliitlCmeans in connection with the steam inlet of theeffect next to the end ofthe series for positively operating the valve immediately before theadmission ofthe steam to the steam chamber of the said effect forcausing the said effects as a triple effect and as a single effect withrespect to the two condensers.

8.111 a multiple effect evaporating apparatus, four effects arrangedwith their steam valves to couple the and evaporating chambersconnectedby vapor passages, combined With valves in the vaporpassagesand arranged Wholly W'i'thi the apparatus and adapted to beautoinat'i cally operated to reverse the direction of the passage of theheat through the apparatus by the admission of steam to the first-orlast effects of the series, means for admitting steam to the steamchambers of the first and last effects, condensers in connection withthe vapor chambers of the first and lasteflects of the series, means forad-v mitting steam tothesteam-chamber of one of the mlddle effects ofthe series, and means operated by the steam being admitted to'the I saidmiddle effect for positively moving tlie vapor valves for dividing the;quadruple efi'ect automatically into the condensers. v I 4. In amultiple effect apparatus, a series of; four effects each having valveinletsl for independently supplying steam' tothe steam chambers thereof,and condensers in c"onnec--- tion with the vapor chambersof a. tripleeffect and i I a sin le effectboth in o erative relation" to combinedwith automatically cont-rolled valve passages between the evaporatingchamber and steam chamber of the whereby they may be changed cylindricalvalve casings, valves for con-t 'ratus into a triple respective twoint-ermediateettects arranged to be oper" ated by the steam beingadmitted 'to the said efl ects, and connections bet-ween power" devicesandthe valves of the valved passages for operating them in-two sets,where by the "apparatus may be automatically transformed efl'ect and. asingle etlect n cormec tion with the respectivecondensers and forreversing the apparatus while main tamed as a triple and s ngleeffect-combi- "natmni 5 .A' multiplsefiect evaporating apparatus havingmeans for supplying steam to each'efiect at wilL vapor passages betweenthe adjacenteffects; v combined with reversible positive sfeam actuatedvalve devices in the several vapor passages for controlling the flow ofthevapc sfrom the evaporatlng chambers t c-the steam chambers ofadjacent simultaneously effects and coiiperating .to

several eitiect's and autonm tically con rol the to qua l-frupleeiiectapparatus or vice versa and {the heat and vapors caused to flow ineither direction'witlrrespect to the series of effects; t I j 6Inamul'tiple-etlect evaporating apparatnsthe combination of a series ofeffects, vapor passageslcoimecting the steam chain:

bers of the several effects with the evaporating hamloers of adjacenteilects having trolling the several passages whereby they may operatetomove into and out or the cylindrical casings under the pressure of thesteam and-vapors, and when in the casings act as pistons thereto, meansfor admitting steamto the steam chambers of the first and last effectsof theseries whereby the valves may be caused to automatically readjustthemselves upon the" admission of steam to the first-or the last efiectof the series and thereby reverse the flew of the heat and vapors. g a 1a 7 Ina multiple-effect evaporating apparatus, the combination of aseries of. effects,

'va or assa 'es connectin the steam chambers of the several e'fiectswith the evapOrat ing chambers of adjacent effects having cylindricalvalve casings, valves for controlling the several passages whereby theymay .operate to move into and out of the cylindrical casings under thepressure "of the steam and vapors and when in the casings act aspistons'thereto, a steam.

' for giving the valves an initial movement for starting-their reversalmovemenh means for adnnttln steam to the steam chambers of effects oithe seriesjavhereby' the valves access adjacent effects, power devicesin connectlon with the valve inlets oi the from a multiple effect appathe vapors or from triple motor device may be caused to y themselvesupon the admissicnlj of steam to the first or the last eflect oi theseries.

automatically readjust 8. In a reversible vapormuhiple effectevaporating apparatus, the effects of which each have an evaporatingchamber and a steam chamber and in 'which' the steam chamber of eachintermediate effect is connected by vapor passageswith the evaporatingchamber of each adjacent'efiect, a 'vaper valve in each of thesaidlpassages one "of which valves is closed andtheother open or viceversa according to the direction in which heat is movingfthrough' theeffects as a series, a valved steam inlet to the steam chamber ofanintermediate effect,

of the vapor passage byfsteam; entering through said inlet on openingthe'valve in the same, whereby the intermediate eflect becomes a vaporgenerator using eirtraneous steam to furnish vapor to another effect.)

9. In a reversible vapor multiple effect evaporating apparatuscomprising four or t more effects having stea mwand evaporating chambers111 whichthe steam end, ofeach intermediate effect has leading nto 1tvapor passages from the evaporating chamber of a vapor'valve n each Ieach adjacent effect, of said vapor passagesone'of which valves is openand the other closed or, vice versa according to the direction in whichthe vapors or heat is moving through thei'effects as a series, steaminlets t0 the steam chambers of two intermediate effects, valve in saidsteam inlets; and neansoperable by steam entering throughthe saidsteaminlets to close the open vaporvalvesinthesaid vapor passagesleading into the steam 'chambers of the said two adjacent-intermediateeffects, whereby each offthe saidintermediate effects becomes the liottestl effectgof a series of effects operating'as;a-'multiple\efiect.

10. In a multiple-effect evaporating apparatus, a series of effectshavingIthe evaporating chamber of one eiiectconnecting with the steamchambers of the adjacent efiects by tubular passages having valve seats,combined-with a rod extendihg'through. evapo+ rating chamber and the;{tubular passage and means operable to close, the open valve Ways,valves secured to the rod and sjepae valves for the cylindricalpasgreater than thefdisi'llo c lindrical 50 hereby and valves secured tothe additional I a sages acting as pistons, connections between thevalves to causc'them to move innnison, and means to positively move thevalves 21 total distance which is greater than the dis tance oftheir-travel when they are within their respectivecylindrical passages,whereby the steam or vapor may pass through one cylindrical passage andsteam chamber of the'.next effect to I open the valve of the v passageleading to the vapor c amber of, the effect-beyondand then close thefirstmentioned passage byits valve. {1 12. In a multiple effectevaporating ap- 1 p'aratus comprising a plurality of effects a-eachof'which has, a steam chamber and an evaporating chamber, and in whichthe hot test effecthas a steam supply connection. to itsl steam chamberand'the coolest effect has 5 a vapor escape from its vapor chamber, and;0- in'vvhich further one or more of the intermediate effects areprovided with a vapor -main from the vapor chamber of each effect of-jthe'series save the coolest effect and to .the steam chamber'of the'aiextcoolest effect, is combined Witha valved steam inlet to the steamchamber of'on'e of. the intermediate 'effects,-'a vapor valv'e in thevapor main leading'to'said effect from next hotter effect,dQmeansto-close said vapor valve in'said 'luivapor'ma in operable bysteam when enteringby the said valved steam inlet t0 thereby cause thesaid intermediate effect 'to be shut-off fromthe vapor chamber of thenext hotter-effect and to become the hottest effect (if the seriesconsistingof itself and the cfiiects' lower than it in the series. E113; In a reversible. multipleeffect. evapbrating apparatus,-aseries. ofeffects arranged with the steam ends adjacent to the vapor ends ofadjacent effects, tubular passages between the several effects at eachend, valve seats in the several passages, valves for said valve seats,rods connecting two of the valves at each end of the effects tocause 15them to mos in opposite directions with re- -;spect:-to opening andclosing their respective {valve seats, guides for the rods, twoadditional rods in line respectively with the aforesaid rods and adaptedto be moved- I ,odsfor controlling the remaining vapor passages of theeffects. v

;14;. The combination in a multiple'effect apparatns,.o f the tubularvapor passages B B 'and B having valve seats, thevalves C (lahd Crespectively for said passage, a

rod D connecting valves C G and holding them at a greater distance apartthan the distance apart of their seats, rod. d secured to valveC and,abutting with the rod D whereby the movement of rod 1) in adjusting itsvalves will also move rod d and 15. In a reversible vapor multipleeffect evaporating apparatus of which the bodies of each effect have asteam chamber and an evaporating chamber, the combination of three:consecutive effects, a vaporw'passage be tween the steam chamber of eachend effect of the three and the vapor chamber of the intermediateeffect, a section of each vapor passage formed as a cylinder, a piston.for the cylindrical section adaptedv to be moved into the cylinder toclose its vapor and out of the cylinder to open its vapor passage, andintermediate connections between the two istons ooeratina' to comool theistons to move in unison the one diston passage ,toward and out of theendof ltscylinder and the other toward the. mouth and into its--cylinder whereby an increase in the pressure in the vapor chamber of theintermediate effect above that in the steam chamber on the other side ofthe closed cylinder will cause the piston of the latterto be forced bythe increasing pressure to the end of its cylinder and bring the pistonof the other cylinder to the entrance of its'cylinder.

1.6. In reversible vapor multiple effect evaporating apparatus, theeffects of which have each an aporating and a'steam chamher, thecombniation of three effects, a vapor passage from the steam chamber ofeach of two of the three effects to theevaporating chamber of the third,efiect, a valve in each vapor passage which moves toward the steamchamber to open the passage and toward the evaporating chamber of thethird effect to close the passage, intermediate connections between thevalves, and" means whereby an increase in pressure in one of the saidsteamchambers above the pressure in'the other of the said steam chamberspositively moves the connected pair of valves by the full power of theincreasing pressure to close the valve bet-ween the first steam chamberand the vapor chamber and fully open the valve between-the vapor chamberand the other.

steam chamber.

In testimony of which invention, I have hereunto set my hand.

. s. Mortars LILLIE.

lVitnesses I 1 JOHN J; WALTER, CoLIN D. SMITH;

